Eight Security Company Employees Who Obstructed Forced Execution at 'Sky72' Detained and Released

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Eight security company employees who were arrested by the police on charges of obstructing official duties by spraying fire extinguisher powder during the forced execution process at the Incheon 'Sky72' golf course have been released.

On the 18th, the Jungbu Police Station in Incheon announced that they had booked eight security company employees, including A (20), without detention, investigated them, and then released them.

Suspects whose custody is secured by arrest in flagrante delicto or by an arrest warrant must either have a detention warrant requested from the court or be released within 48 hours. The police judged that it was not a matter to apply for a detention warrant for these individuals and released them.

The eight, including A, are accused of obstructing official duties by spraying fire extinguisher powder to prevent forced execution by the court enforcement office at Sky72 Golf Club in Yeongjongdo, Jung-gu, Incheon, on the morning of the previous day. They are all known to be employees of a security company hired by the golf course facility lessee side.

The day before, the Incheon District Court enforcement office carried out forced execution against the existing operator who did not return the Sky72 golf course site to Incheon International Airport Corporation.

However, the facility lessee side, operating restaurants and other businesses inside the golf course, hired about 500 security company employees to resist the forced execution. During this process, water cannons and fire extinguisher powder were sprayed, and with loud shouting and swearing exchanged, the entire golf course area turned into chaos.

According to the fire department's tally, 25 people sustained minor injuries and were transported to hospitals by 119 emergency medical services.

On the morning of the 17th, a forced eviction was carried out at Sky72 Golf Course in Unseo-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon. When the court enforcement officer tried to leave the golf course, representatives from the Sky72 tenant side blocked the way. January 17, 2023 Photo by Gonghang Photojournalists Group

The forced execution on that day was a follow-up measure after Incheon Airport Corporation finally won the appeal trial in the ‘real estate delivery lawsuit’ filed against the existing golf course operator, Sky72 Co., Ltd.

With the Supreme Court's ruling finalized, Sky72 was supposed to hand over the golf course site to Incheon Airport Corporation but had not complied until recently. Sky72's position is that they cannot hand over the golf course site until the results of the prosecution investigation related to the selection of the subsequent operator are out.

The existing operator Sky72 leased the land owned by Incheon Airport Corporation, which was the planned site for the construction of Incheon Airport's 5th runway in 2005, and developed and operated the golf course and clubhouse.

Incheon Airport Corporation and Sky72 set the contract termination date as December 31, 2020, when the 5th runway was to be constructed, but as the construction of the 5th runway was delayed beyond schedule, they engaged in a legal dispute for more than two years.

In September 2020, Incheon Airport Corporation conducted a public bidding to select a new golf course operator, and ‘KMH Shilla Leisure’ (currently KX Group) was selected as the new operator.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.